Classroom of the Elite: Alter - Self-Test

"Hmm. Having a pointless discourse right now wouldn't be ideal. We'll be going on ahead." Katsuragi and his classmates entered Room 201 as soon as the clock hit 8:40 PM.

"We'll be going on ahead, too. See you later~." Ichinose smilingly exchanged goodbyes with Kikyou before going inside their assigned room, Room 203.

"Heh. Let's have some fun, Ayanokouji," said Ryuuen as he glared at me with his baleful grin.

Unlike Katsuragi, who looked like he paraded with his allies, Ryuuen's entourage resembled that of lackeys following their boss. He opened the door and entered Room 204.

"Well then, shall we go ahead and enter the room?" Horikita, who remained unperturbed this whole time, took the initiative and entered Room 202.

Apparently, there were four rooms used in total. It was easy to deduce the reason why none of our groups got assigned to Room 201: Our own class adviser, Chabashira-sensei, was appointed to that room.

"Heya~!" Hoshinomiya-sensei, the homeroom teacher and class adviser of Ichinose's Class C will be the one who'd do the briefing for us. "Ohh... What an amazing lineup from Class B. Sae-chan really went all-out on this one.

Four somewhat disordered chairs were reserved for us.

"Well, well, for now, please take your seats. I'm sure you already know what this test is going to be about, but for the sake of formality, I will still be explaining everything." Hoshinomiya-sensei winked in reassurance. "Don't worry, I'll make it fast."

We sat and stayed silent, waiting for her to speak.

"So, in this special test, all first-year students will be divided into twelve groups based on the twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs. Participation is a must for everyone, with the exception of Sakayanagi-chan, of course." Hoshinomiya-sensei started explaining as she raised her index finger. "'What's the point of this test?', you may be asking. Well, society needs three fundamental qualities in order to progress, and those three are action, thinking, and teamwork. Having those three will bump up your success in becoming wonderful adults!"

Matsushita and the others have already explained this introduction. Despite that, the four of us still listened intently.

"It's pretty obvious that your previous special exam focused on testing your "teamwork". That's why the theme was 'freedom', correct? This time, the school wants to test your "thinking" with the theme being 'prudence'." Hoshinomiya-sensei eyed us with a grin, displaying four of her fingers. "With that said, we will test your thinking in four ways. First is your ability to thoroughly process information, which is an essential component of this test. Next is your ability to analyze the current situation and clarify the task at hand. Then, it'll be your ability to solve the problem after you've clarified the process and identified the task. Lastly, we'll test your ability to utilize your imagination, and the ability to create new values. Those four will help shape your thinking."

Hoshinomiya-sensei ended with a short sigh.

"Well, any questions?"

"Sensei." Horikita raised her hand.

"Oh, we got someone~! Yes, Horikita-san?" Hoshinomiya-sensei cheerfully called to her.

"I understand that our class had to be divided into twelve groups, but wouldn't it be more efficient to meet each Zodiac group with all of its members?"

"Humu, humu. That's the popular question, as usual." Expecting Horikita's query, Hoshinomiya-sensei responded with an understanding nod. "I see the point in that concern. In fact, briefing the entirety of the first years would've been possible, too. However, do you remember the reactions of your classmates when the first or second groups explained the mechanics of this test?"

There was no way for her to know that Class B met up with each other, but I guess for Hoshinomiya-sensei, who knew about our class's similarities with hers, it was a pretty safe assumption to make.

"They were shocked and confused," answered Kikyou.

"Exactly~!" Hoshinomiya-sensei pointed at her with a smile. "You're right, Kushida-chan. You see, each group is composed of three to four students from different classes. If you were all gathered in one place, announcing the mixed-class concept would create chaos. We then took the same concern with grouping you up on the briefing."

Hoshinomiya-sensei explained everything with absolute consistency and fluidity.

"If that's your only question, then let's go ahead and get into the specifics." Hoshinomiya-sensei grabbed a laminated postcard-sized piece of paper. "Your group assignment is "Dragon". Printed on that paper is a list of the members. If you think it's necessary, then memorizing them now would be a good idea."

The four of us carefully scanned the list. The group name was written in Japanese and placed in parentheses next to the Chinese reading. Below are the names of all the fourteen members of the group.

Class A: Katsuragi Kouhei, Nishikawa Ryouko, Matoba Shinji, Yano Koharu

Class B: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, Horikita Suzune

Class C: Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuuji, Tsube Hitomi

Class D: Suzuki Hidetoshi, Sonoda Masashi, Ryuuen Kakeru

"I'm sure it won't be easy for any of you to mingle with students from other classes, but if you work together and get along, good results are waiting for you~!" Hoshinomiya-sensei said with a not-so-reassuring thumbs-up. "As you might already know, four possible outcomes can be achieved in this special test. We've prepared the handouts containing those outcomes along with the instructions, rules, and reminders."

We returned the members list in exchange for those handouts. However, Hoshinomiya-sensei gently warned us before letting go.

"Ah, taking these out nor photographing them is forbidden, okay~? You can only verify the contents right here and now."

She handed some slightly crumpled sheets of paper. Their suboptimal state meant that these were the same sheets of paper used by the students before us. The rules were written as follows:

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AN EXPLANATION OF THE SUMMER GROUP SPECIAL EXAMINATION

The assignment centers on a "VIP" assigned to each group. By providing answers to the school via a defined method, you will earn one of the four outcomes.

At 8:00 AM on the first day of the test, each student will simultaneously receive a message informing you that we have chosen someone to be the "VIP" in your group.

The test begins tomorrow and ends at 9:00 PM on the fourth day.

Each group should gather twice during the day at a predetermined time in a predetermined room to talk for one hour, so they may discuss matters with only their group.

The contents of each group's discussion shall be left to the discretion of the group itself.

After the test has concluded, the school will only accept answers during the period between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM on that final night. During that time, each group must submit their answer regarding who they think the "VIP" is. Each individual may only submit an answer once, but only the first answer received from any member of a group will decide the test results for that group.

Answers must be sent only to an email address that we shall provide to each group, and only using your mobile devices.

The twelve VIPs cannot submit answers.

You may only submit an answer for the group to which you are assigned.

Test results will be sent to all students via email at 11:00 PM on the final day.

A list of fundamental rules was written on the paper. More detailed descriptions of the rules and a list of prohibited items were also on the sheet. The terms were stricter than the terms for the test on the uninhabited island, with many more precautions.

One of them caught my attention:

Memorandum Restriction:

- Memorandums signed on or after August 8th of the school year are restricted for this exam. For further details, please ask your class adviser.

- Memorandums signed before August 8th of the school year can be used.

- The rules and instructions will override all contractual conditions.

Given the nature of this exam, I guess it makes sense. After the rules, I saw the four potential "outcomes":

OUTCOME #1: If the answer submitted by the group after 9:30 PM on the final day is correct, then everyone in the group will receive private points, including those of the VIP's classmates who belong to the group.

OUTCOME #2: If a group fails to submit an answer between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM on the final day, or if someone from the group other than the VIP and their classmates submits an incorrect answer, then the VIP will be awarded 500,000 private points.

"The value isn't specified in Outcome #1, but it's also 500,000 private points, right, Sensei?" asked Hirata.

"Yes. 500,000 private points will be the base reward for each outcome. And for the VIP, the greatest thing about Outcome #1 would be his or her double rewards," she replied.

Matsushita and the others have explained this a bit earlier. The reactions of our classmates were... wild, to say the least. It was especially true for those who were running low on money.

In other words, every member will receive 500,000 private points and the VIP will receive 1,000,000 private points. Compared to the number of private points we've been collecting until now, it's a disgustingly large amount.

"I assume you've understood everything thus far, yes?"

The four of us nodded in response.

As we discussed during the class meeting earlier, the first two outcomes were severely biased towards the chosen VIP. If those two were the only outcomes, being chosen as the VIP would automatically make you a winner. At that point, the test wouldn't even be valid given how unnecessary the act of "thinking" will be.

"Then, you can go ahead and turn the paper around," she instructed.

Once we flipped the paper, the last two game-changing outcomes were finally visible before our eyes.

OUTCOME #3: This outcome is triggered when someone other than the VIP gives the correct answer to the school without waiting until 9:30 PM on the final day of the exam. That student's class will gain 50 class points, and the person who submitted the correct answer will earn 500,000 private points. Also, the VIP's class will lose 50 class points as a penalty. At that point, the group's testing period will come to an end. However, if one of the VIP's classmates is the person who submits the correct answer, this answer will not be counted and the test will continue.

OUTCOME #4: This outcome is triggered when someone other than the VIP gives the incorrect answer to the school without waiting until 9:30 PM on the final day of the exam. That student's class will lose 50 class points. The VIP will earn 500,000 private points, and the VIP's class will earn 50 class points. The testing period will end for the group that submitted the incorrect answer. However, if one of the VIP's classmates is the person who submits the incorrect answer, this answer will not be counted and the test will continue.

"The test may have looked like a lottery at first, but these last two outcomes cement its true concept," said Hoshinomiya-sensei.

"A Social Deduction game," muttered Horikita.

Social Deduction games are games in which the players' goal is to expose the hidden roles of opposing players. They are generally sorted into "good" and "evil" roles with opposite objectives. The very first social deduction game was "Mafia" which was created around 1987. A decade later, another social deduction game called "Werewolf" was created.

According to our classmates, Werewolf was the game that our teachers used as an example.

The rules of the game were fairly simple. The players were divided into two groups. The good group is the "Villagers" group while the evil group is the "Wolves" group, with "day" and "night" as the time segments for each action.

The game's premise says that werewolves are living amongst the villagers, preying on them every night. The villagers must eliminate the werewolves (via hanging) to restore peace to the village. Meanwhile, the wolves, although outnumbered, can hide their identities during the day and strike freely during the night.

If we get into technical terms, the game starts with players obtaining their roles from the Game Master. During the first night, the Wolves can eliminate one of the Villagers while they are "asleep". When the next day comes around, a votation can be conducted after the players discuss the matters about the murder. Then, the player who gets suspected the most would most likely garner the biggest number of votes and be "hanged". The Wolves win if they eliminate enough Villagers while the Villagers win if they expose all Wolves and get them hanged.

It's easy to see the parallels between that game and this special exam if we remove the concept of good and evil. The Administrators are the Game Masters, the VIPs are the Wolves, and the remaining students are the Villagers.

However, discovering the identities of the VIPs and turning traitors might cause some social issues. After all, this exam wasn't just a simple game.

"The rewards and penalties look pretty intense, right~? But-! You don't have to worry about it. The school has taken anonymity into account for this test. After the exam ends, only the outcomes for each group and the change in class points and private points will be announced. The names of the VIPs and the ones who submitted answers will stay hidden. If you're really shy about receiving your points, you can request a temporary ID and transfer them there. Dividing the points and receiving them periodically is also an option." Hoshinomiya-sensei smiled while stating the other method. "Of course, you're also free to receive everything openly."

The school really doesn't cut corners, huh? With that mechanic, the VIP or anyone colluding with him or her won't have to worry about the social consequences of lying. This makes finding the VIP an exceptionally hard feat.

"Okay~! Now that everything's said and done, I'll give my final set of reminders. Please, don't forget to go to your designated room starting tomorrow. Your group will meet two times a day: 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Remember, the discussion will last an hour and you can't leave the room. Of course, once the whole hour has passed, you are free to stay or go. However, in the event that you feel ill or can't endure it any longer, please contact your homeroom teacher immediately and make a request." Hoshinomiya-sensei pressed her palms together with a gentle smile.

"The VIPs' identities are crucial in this exam. Are there any criteria on how they're going to be chosen?" asked Horikita.

"Hmm. Well, obviously, we will consider some elements before choosing the VIPs, but the specifics are, of course, confidential," she answered.

"I see..." Horikita held her chin, pondering.

"Don't worry about it, Horikita-san. The school is committed to fairness. I can assure you that. We will be unconditionally strict and impartial with regard to the rules and mechanics. Once the VIPs are chosen, we will not accept any request for changes even if the VIPs themselves don't want the role. In addition, copying, deleting, transferring, or modifying emails sent from the school is prohibited. It's all in the rules, remember?"

The punishment for breaking any of these rules is a lot more severe. Even the smallest of attempts may cause a student to get expelled.

"Alright~! The meeting is over! Be sure to participate in the self-introduction tomorrow!"

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We left the room feeling puzzled and complicated.

Once you put everything into consideration, it really was just a simple social deduction game. However, a lot of overly formal text, redundancies, and a severely inefficient briefing schedule made everything a lot more confusing.

So this is what Matsushita was talking about when she said "overcomplication". When she and everyone else explained the mechanics of the exam, everything sounded much more direct, probably because they only conveyed the main points.

"Horikita-san, why did you ask that question earlier?" Hirata must've been talking about the time when she asked why the groups were briefed separately.

"I was wondering about that, too. Didn't our classmates give us the answer to that already?" added Kikyou.

Of course, Matsushita and the others have taken that question into account. However, the answers they got were just the same as the ones that we got.

Horikita turned to me with a dubious stare.

"I thought Ayanokouji-kun might infer something from Hoshinomiya-sensei's reaction." Horikita shifted the attention to me.

"Hah? You did that just because you wanted me to get a read on her? Do you think I'm an esper or something?" I whined with a shrug.

She skeptically narrowed her eyes before looking away with a "hmph".

Jokes aside, Horikita was on point. Her question gave me the best possible attempt to analyze Hoshinomiya-sensei's behavioral responses. It's just that she didn't show any openings whatsoever.

Regardless, Horikita took an action that I didn't even consider doing. Color me impressed.

"Well, for now, why don't we grab dinner? We can talk about the strategies while we're at it." Hirata seamlessly transformed the casual conversation into a dinner invitation.

"Ah, sorry. I made plans with my friends tonight. I'll join you guys next time." I politely declined his offer.

"I don't think we can come up with anything satisfactory without you there. If you're not coming, then I'll pass, too." Horikita turned down the offer using my absence as an excuse.

"That's fine, but I think it's a good idea to set up a quick meeting tomorrow. We can talk about the details in the group chat. Is that alright?" Despite getting refused, Hirata effortlessly turned things around by suggesting another meet-up at a later date.

"That's okay with me! I have plans with my friends, too, anyway," replied Kikyou.

After we separated, I met up with my friends from the Ayanokouji Group. We had our dinner at a fancy restaurant and left with sated appetites.

When I got back to my room, Yukimura was already asleep and Kouenji was admiring himself in front of the mirror. It seemed like Hirata was still out, so I had no choice but to mind my own business while ignoring Kouenji's illustrious presence.

I opened my phone and observed the members' lists.